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[EXCLUSIVE] Tesla to open showroom on Jeju Island

Visitors check out Tesla's electric vehicles at the automaker's outlet in Starfield Hanam in this file photo. The first showroom of Tesla in Korea opened last November at the shopping complex. / Korea Times photo by Jhoo Dong-chan

By Jhoo Dong-chan

JEJU ― Tesla, the world's top electric car maker, plans to build a showroom and a supercharger station on Jeju island this year, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

If completed, it would be the third Tesla store in Korea. The other two are in Seoul and at the Starfield Hanam mall, a shopping complex situated some 10 kilometers east of Seoul.

"We visited Tesla Korea last month to agree to set up the outlet and a supercharger station on Jeju during the latter part of 2017," the 53-year-old governor said.

"We are in talks with Tesla with regard to details under the premise that the facilities will be in place this year."

The Tesla supercharger is the automaker's high-speed device that can charge more than 50 percent of a Tesla car battery in 20 minutes. One charging station can accommodate six to eight cars at a time.

Tesla Global Sales & Service President Jonathan McNeill confirmed during his visit to the firm's Korean unit in April that it will build 14 supercharger stations here this year.

Six will be established in Seoul, three at highway service stations and the remaining five in other major Korean cities.

But he did not disclose the plan to build a Tesla store on Jeju.

Jeju would be the right place for Tesla, which strives to expand its footing in Korea.

Jeju already has an advanced infrastructure for electric cars and around 10,000 electricity-powered vehicles run on the scenic resort island, around a half of the total in Korea.

Under the stewardship of Governor Won, Jeju set up the "2030 carbon-free island" initiative of getting rid of conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles from the island in a decade.

"In 2030, Jeju would have some 370,000 automobiles. We plan to encourage our citizens to drive only electric cars by then," said Won, who took office midway through 2014.

Calling such efforts "green big bang," the former three-term lawmaker said that Jeju will become an island with eco-friendly smart-cities which global cities can benchmark.

Prof. Kim Pil-soo at Daelim University said that the cooperation between Tesla and Jeju would work as a win-win strategy for both sides.

"Tesla's third showroom would help the company gain awareness in Korea because Jeju is the nation's hotbed of electric cars," said Kim who was also involved in the establishment of Tesla's Jeju store.

"From the perspective of Jeju, it would be able to get fresh momentum to increase the number of electric cars through the Tesla outlet."

Kim expected that Jeju would not get rid of all diesel and gasoline vehicles by 2030. But he said that it would be a great success if the proportion of electric cars reaches 20 percent or 30 percent by then.

Visitors check out Tesla's electric vehicles at the automaker's outlet in Starfield Hanam in this file photo. The first showroom of Tesla in Korea opened last November at the shopping complex. / Korea Times photo by Jhoo Dong-chan

By Jhoo Dong-chan

JEJU ― Tesla, the world's top electric car maker, plans to build a showroom and a supercharger station on Jeju island this year, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

If completed, it would be the third Tesla store in Korea. The other two are in Seoul and at the Starfield Hanam mall, a shopping complex situated some 10 kilometers east of Seoul.

"We visited Tesla Korea last month to agree to set up the outlet and a supercharger station on Jeju during the latter part of 2017," the 53-year-old governor said.

"We are in talks with Tesla with regard to details under the premise that the facilities will be in place this year."

The Tesla supercharger is the automaker's high-speed device that can charge more than 50 percent of a Tesla car battery in 20 minutes. One charging station can accommodate six to eight cars at a time.

Tesla Global Sales & Service President Jonathan McNeill confirmed during his visit to the firm's Korean unit in April that it will build 14 supercharger stations here this year.

Six will be established in Seoul, three at highway service stations and the remaining five in other major Korean cities.

But he did not disclose the plan to build a Tesla store on Jeju.

Jeju would be the right place for Tesla, which strives to expand its footing in Korea.

Jeju already has an advanced infrastructure for electric cars and around 10,000 electricity-powered vehicles run on the scenic resort island, around a half of the total in Korea.

Under the stewardship of Governor Won, Jeju set up the "2030 carbon-free island" initiative of getting rid of conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles from the island in a decade.

"In 2030, Jeju would have some 370,000 automobiles. We plan to encourage our citizens to drive only electric cars by then," said Won, who took office midway through 2014.

Calling such efforts "green big bang," the former three-term lawmaker said that Jeju will become an island with eco-friendly smart-cities which global cities can benchmark.

Prof. Kim Pil-soo at Daelim University said that the cooperation between Tesla and Jeju would work as a win-win strategy for both sides.

"Tesla's third showroom would help the company gain awareness in Korea because Jeju is the nation's hotbed of electric cars," said Kim who was also involved in the establishment of Tesla's Jeju store.

"From the perspective of Jeju, it would be able to get fresh momentum to increase the number of electric cars through the Tesla outlet."

Kim expected that Jeju would not get rid of all diesel and gasoline vehicles by 2030. But he said that it would be a great success if the proportion of electric cars reaches 20 percent or 30 percent by then.